Norway – Russia

Norwegian police have arrested and released Andrei Medvedev, a former Russian commander in the private mercenary Wagner group. He was suspected of illegally trying to cross the country’s border into Russia, Medvedev’s lawyer told NBC. Norwegian police announced late Friday that a man in his twenties had been detained, but did not give his name. Crossing the border from Norway to Russia is only legal certain places on the almost 200 km border.
     In January, Medvedev fled to Norway from Russia over the same Arctic border. At the time, he said he was seeking asylum in Norway because he feared for his life after witnessing the killing and mistreatment of Russian soldiers recruited by Wagner to fight in Ukraine. Medvedev’s lawyer said on Sunday that his client had not had any intention to cross into Russia, but only to find the route he had originally used to travel into Norway. /ritzau/